Mathew Masinge
DOES the appointment of a former chief public prosecutor as the new Dynamos vice-chairman, at a time when club boss Bernard Marriot has a pending fraud case, pose a possible conflict of interest for Clement Chimbari?
While Chimbari’s professionalism cannot be questioned, given his impressive service at the National Prosecution Authority, which has seen him rise up the ladder, doesn’t this appointment put him in a fix?
Didn’t the Dynamos board consider that the appointment of Chimbari as vice-chairman would raise suspicion given the leader of the board, Marriot, has a pending fraud case at the courts of law?
Marriot is facing fraud charges amid allegations he allocated himself 15% of the club shareholding.
He claims he has no case to answer and, in his defence outline, has denied the charges saying he is the only surviving founder member of the club and that in 1999 they incorporated a private company, through which Dynamos Football Club would be owned and run.
Marriot also denies that any shares were duly allotted to any of the complainants.
The complainants are former Dynamos players who include Garikai Zuze, the late David George, Ernest Kamba, Samson Mukomondo, Bernard Shonhiwa Chidziwa and David Phiri.
The case has been dragging at the courts for some time now.
The key question is wouldn’t the presence of a high-ranking NPA employee, at the top of the Dynamos chain of command, be viewed as playing a part in the way the club supremo’s case is crawling in the corridors of justice?
Marriot lost a Constitutional Court challenge in the case.
Yesterday, the Dynamos board announced that Chimbari was the new vice-chairman of the club and will replace Vincent Chawonza who was recently removed from the post.
Chimbari is into monitoring and evaluation at the NPA headquarters.
He served at Rotten Row Magistrate’s Court before he was moved to the NPA head office.
However, Chimbari’s profession, as a member of the NPA, has raised questions about possible conflict of interest in serving the two parties, especially given the legal challenges which Marriot is facing.
H-Metro spoke to Chimbari yesterday and he said:
“I am into monitoring and evaluation at the NPA and I don’t handle prosecutions, that’s done at the magistrates and superior courts.
“I am yet to formally meet the board and familiarise with my role.
“I can’t comment further on the phone because we haven’t discussed anything with the club but I am excited to bring in a new dimension.”
He directed further questions to the Deputy Prosecutor General saying they are the ones who can determine whether there is any conflict of interest.
Chimbari was appointed together with Justice Mubayi, a chartered accountant, who joined the club as a committee member responsible for junior development.
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Original post on H Metro